There are a few things my biological brother gave me: my love of hip hop, art and comic books. My brother still collects comic books and he always instilled the importance of collecting those series whose hero was of color. Years ago, many - many years ago, I remember him showing me The Boondocks comic strip- yes comic strip. It was exciting to see Huey, he looked like us and thought like us—- it is rare to have that image in most media forms. Later, Boondocks became an animated hit TV show. One of BTGMP's goal is to expose students to many things but especially shedding light on different career paths. It is important that we give that to our youth because it is challenging to be what you have never seen. So this month BTGMP is highlighting Community Professionals that break the mold and debunk all stereotypes. Our first highlighted Community Professional is Mr. LeSean Thomas.
Industry: Arts
Occupation: Animation Director/Producer/Illustrator
From: South Bronx, South Korea, Hollywood
Illustrator, Producer, Director, Writer, LeSean Thomas work includes the Peabody Award-winning animated series, “THE BOONDOCKS,” (Co-Director/ Supervising Character Designer). Thomas has worked for companies that have taken him all over, from Hollywood to South Korea ; Cartoon Network, Warner Bros, Sony Animation, JM Animation (Rok), Studio Mir (Rok), MOI Animation . He currently works at TITMOUSE Inc Animation as a Producer/ Director for “BLACK DYNAMITE: THE ANIMATED SERIES”. LeSean’s work expresses his desire to give media another idea of what protagonists and heroes look like. Our youth need to see TV shows, movies and yes, comic book heroes that mirror themselves and the world in which we live. Out of all his accolades and ground breaking work, one thing stands out and that is LeSean’s desire to encourage students, that are like him, to pursue their love of animation and art.
